Retail Theft – Loss Prevention Solutions for Every Product

Retail Theft – Loss Prevention Solutions for Every Product

These days, owners of retail establishments must do whatever it takes to protect their merchandise from theft. It’s a sad but true reality of today’s society – people steal. Retail theft can greatly impact your bottom line profits. Consider this – if your average mark-up is 10 percent, you’d have to sell $1000 worth of product just to make up for a $100 theft.

However, surveys have shown that the average theft is closer to $400 per occurrence. Just one such theft a month could have a hefty effect on your profits.

Given that fact, entrepreneurs who are starting a business or individuals who are remodeling their shops need to give serious attention to installing the loss prevention solutions that best fit their needs, even if it requires investing a bit more to keep the business safe.

Obviously, what kind of loss prevention items your shop fitter recommends for you will largely depend on the kind of items you sell and the way they are to be displayed inside your shop. If you sell mostly small items, chances are that some may be on hooks while others are on shelves.

If the products you peddle are larger, you may use a different kind of display system. Regardless of the design for displaying your wares, your shop fitter should be able to offer a viable solution for deterring shoplifters.

Retail Theft Prevention

In days past, many shop owners opted for sensor tags, offered in many varieties and suitable for a number of different kinds of products. These tags would trigger a sensor if they were about to go out the door without being properly processed.

Those are still in use and can be effective in many cases. However, search the internet and you can find all sorts of videos on how to remove these devices or how to “fool” the sensor, making them a target for shoplifters. Security cameras can be easily fooled as well.

Many retail shop owners have found better luck with newer devices, especially the kind that prevent “sweeps” – the theft of a large amount of the same item. This happens mostly with smaller, much-coveted items, like razors, batteries, and some healthy and beauty products. Companies have designed many loss prevention items that stop the sweep by dispensing only one item at a time.

When multiple items are dispensed, a store clerk is alerted. Some of these devices are designed to work on hanging items displayed on hooks while others are suitable for shelves.
Some loss prevention items are designed to protect individual items, such as security cases for CDs or DVDs, software, and other similar products.

For commonly targeted items like cell phones and tablets, shop fitters can supply store owners with magnetic security device pods (or something similar), which keep the item in full view, where potential buyers can play with it, but prevent it from disappearing into the bag or pocket of a thief.

A shop fitter who truly knows his craft should be able to sit down with you – the store owner – and discuss a variety of loss prevention options, including those that best fit your budget. Remember, money spent on security is generally a good investment, so carefully consider the best and most effective products available for protecting your assets.